Diverse Leadership Development: Tracey Hylton
Tracey Hylton attended the Diverse Leadership Development professional short course.
This course is delivered through the Reskill & Recover project, which is part funded by the European Social Fund. Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is pleased to offer free (fully funded) places on this course to support employees of small and medium businesses that are based in Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire.
Tracey Hylton, Diverse Development Leadership course
It highlighted problems faced at work that are embedded in the system (not just by individuals, but also in the organisational culture). I can now look at strategies to overcome the barriers to being an effective staff member and leader.
Tracey Hylton, Diverse Leadership Development course graduate
Below is the written question and answer session with Tracey Hylton, who took the Diverse Leadership Development professional short course.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your business?
I’m a qualified and experienced Librarian, having worked for Nottingham City Libraries, leading the Information Team by transforming and improving the enquiries and Local Studies services.
Previously, I was a Senior Policy Adviser and Research and Development Officer working with central government and the housing and social care sectors consecutively.
I currently have two roles: as Account Manager working with the D2N2 Growth Hub and as a Director for the Nottingham Writers’ Studio: a creative writers’ membership which is a CIC.
What first attracted you to the Diverse Leadership Development course? What were you hoping to learn?
I work alongside one of the consortium partners who developed the course. I wanted to take part in the course to:
- learn more about diversity, inclusion, and its impact on leadership.
- test my ability to do an academic course having not studied for some time.
What did you learn in the course that you found particularly useful?
I found that the leadership strategies were incredibly useful and the model of inclusion maturity was insightful. It was great to focus on what I needed to do to achieve my future goals and how to utilise my skills and knowledge, to work in a strategic level role. I also learnt how to define what success looks like, create an action plan and take onboard the feedback from the assessors.
How much time would you say you invested into the course?
This was a three-day course delivered over a six-week period. In addition, I completed that accreditation element, where a 2500-word report was required – this needed about 37 hours to complete the work.
How did this course benefit you?
It highlighted problems faced at work that are embedded in the system (not just by individuals, but also in the organisational culture). I can now look at strategies to overcome the barriers to being an effective staff member and leader. It also made me challenge my attitudes and behaviours due to lack of awareness of the barriers affecting others, for example, people living with neurodiversity.
Would you recommend this to other people? And if so, why?
Yes. It is a great course for those who are not familiar (as well as those who are) with diversity and equality issues where they can learn and be given support and knowledge as to how to make their decisions and practices more inclusive.
How to access the support available
If you are interested in our Diverse Leadership Development course, please contact BusinessInclusion@ntu.ac.uk.